SEPTEMBER. 185 



TULIPS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF DERBY. 



The month of May is a time of pleasurable excitement to the culti- 

 vator of Tulips, and the ardent lover of this " the Queen of the gar- 

 den" will lose no opportunity of visiting the beds of other growers. 

 As I inspected most of the beds in this locality, and as novelties are 

 what I intend principally to describe, I may observe that I saw on 

 almost every bed the following leading varieties in good condition, 

 and which I would earnestly recommend all who are about to com- 

 mence the cultivation of Tulips to procure at once, viz. Captain White, 

 Pilot, Royal Sovereign, and Magnum Bonum (bizarres) ; Queen 

 Charlotte, Princess Royal (bybloemens) ; Aglaia, Triomphe Royale, 

 and Heroine, alias feathered Triomphe Royale (roses). 



On the bed of Mr. Forman of Chellaston grew the magnificent 

 bybloemen illustrated in the present Number, a third-row flower, with 

 cup of the "Hardy" standard; petals of good substance, feathered 

 with dark purple. Mr. Forman (of whom I purchased the root w^ith 

 four offsets attached) informed me that he broke it four years ago, and 

 named it Sir John Crewe. Some parties who saw the bloom think 

 that it is Chellaston Beauty ; it certainly agrees with that variety in 

 the formation of the stigma, the lobes of which are large and slightly 

 decurrent. It appears tolerably steady, and another season or two's 

 growth will decide whether it is a fine break of the Chellaston Beauty 

 breeder or a distinct variety. 



My neighbour Mr. Spencer of Thulston is known to be a very 

 successful exhibitor, and grows the old-established favourites of the 

 finest strain in quantities. Among comparatively new varieties I re- 

 marked Victoria Regina (Groom's), feathered bybloemen, cup rather 

 above the standard, petals slightly incurved and notched, in the way 

 of Captain White at its first opening ; the three outer petals had a 

 green stain at the top, and the bottom was creamy in a young state, 

 but as it ages it becomes pure. It was exhibited successfully at 

 Birmingham. I have seen it elsewhere flamed (but feathered is 

 decidedly its best character), with the outer petals green ; but in an 

 early and warm season, or when it becomes acclimatised to our mid- 

 land counties, it will probably be without this defect. 



Mr. Parkinson of Derby, a veteran florist of some forty years' 

 standing, has seen the time when Trafalgar, Sable Rex, Unique, 

 Lord Hill, and other stained-cupped Tulips, were the leading varieties, 

 and figured as premiers at the exhibitions held here. I was disap- 

 pointed in not finding this enthusiastic florist at home. On seeing his 

 bed, I was convinced he had kept pace with the times. First and 

 foremost was Gibbon's (not Brown's) Salvator Rosa (a feathered and 

 flamed bybloemen, quite pure, rather heavily but correctly marked, 

 and, as seen here, a beautiful variety ; it had unfortunately but five 

 stamens, otherwise it was perfect). Brow^n's Jersey Wonder (fea- 

 thered bybloemen). Lady Jane Grey (feathered and flamed rose), and 

 Charbonnier, were in fine condition. 



NEW SERIES. VOL. II. NO. XXT. R 



